Remarkable Woman: Gloria Fluker on Tomorrow's Journey
Editor’s Note: March is Women’s History Month. Each Tuesday during March, KOIN 6 News will spotlight a Remarkable Woman nominated by others in the community.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Over the years, Gloria Fluker has worn many hats. She began as a probation and parole officer, then dove into the world of helping underserved young women thrive.
By high school she had moved to Los Angeles and then attended the University of Oregon where she earned a master's degree in counseling.
"Education, when you are talking about a passion -- that's my passion. Because at the time when I was in school the early years, I went to a segregated school. So therefore, everyone in the school looked like me," Fluker told KOIN 6 News. "When I was student teaching I found myself engaging with those kids - 'the throwaways' - the ones on a lot of medication. I really enjoyed interacting with them."
The first job she landed after college was as a corrections officer. That eventually brought her to Portland, where she founded "Youth Unlimited," a program that engaged youth through videos tackling prevention strategies for sexual activity, teen pregnancy, AIDS and other STDs.
And that led her to create other programs with a spotlight on leadership.
Fluker said she focused "on leadership development and training. I am trying to help young people to become leaders, and truly use their voice around issues that they truly want to work on."
Temmecha Turner was in her 20s when she first met Gloria Fluker. Turner worked alongside Fluker with students, but she said Fluker was also having a great impact on her own skills.
"I've always been a strong advocate for community engagement, and she was a mentor for me in that fashion," Turner said, who nominated Fluker as a Remarkable Woman. "It was a way I could develop my leadership skills, student advocacy, how I help students navigate their environment."
Turner is a first generation college graduate in her family and Fluker helped build her confidence and skills to get her current job with Oregon State University as the Director of Community Diversity Relations.
"She has challenged me to find my own inner spark. When I am fearful, she'll tell me to step out, you can do it," she said. "She has given me such inspiration."
Fluker has won countless awards for her work in the community. Her passion now is her Tomorrow's Journey program she founded in 2014. Its mission is to expose girls to a world beyond their immediate experiences and raising expectations of what they can accomplish.
Gloria Fluker has served on numerous boards in the area. She owns a publishing company which has released several books -- including some that involve good decision-making for teens.
"If you have the skills and you're excellent in those skills, you should not only -- you shouldn't keep it. You should hare it with someone," Fluker said.
She hopes she has touched the lives of a lot of girls. "I hope so. And I hope to continue to touch lives. I do."